'Agents of SHIELD' Books Cobie Smulders' Return

After reprising her "Avengers" and "Captain America" character in the pilot, Agent Maria Hill will return to the ABC series on April 29.

Agent Maria Hill is returning to ABC's Agents of SHIELD.

Marvel announced Wednesday that Cobie Smulders will make her second appearance on the series.

With How I Met Your Mother having come to an end, the actress will return to the ABC drama in an April 29 episode as part of May sweeps. Her character most recently was seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, where Hill teased that she might explore a new line of work following the dismantling of the SHIELD team.

"Maria, being the high-level person she was, takes the long view," Agents of SHIELD EP Jeffrey Bell told Marvel of how the character will handle the SHIELD fallout. "When she shows up and we know that she’s [working] for Stark Industries, in a certain way I think she’s looking for a fresh start and a new way for her to help [the world], a new way for her to be involved, a new way for her to do good. But I think it’s a great opportunity for her and Coulson to be in some conflict because he’s the guy who doesn’t want to let go, and she’s the one that’s clearly moved on."

The episode, the 20th of the season, will explore Hill and Coulson's (Clark Gregg) new tense relationship following the events that transpired in Winter Soldier.

"Coulson now knows that SHIELD lied to him about TAHITI, and she was at the center of it [and also] a trusted friend. I think that’s also a great place to generate conflict," EP Jeph Loeb said.

For her part, Smulders told The Hollywood Reporterin August that she'd be up for a return to Agents of SHIELD. "It's just a matter of the direction that they decide to go with the show. I don't know how much they'll be at the Command Center and how much they need me around. If it works out organically with the storyline, then I'd be happy to come in."

Smulders' original deal for Agents of SHIELD was for a one-off cameo role in the pilot because, at the time, she was contractually committed to CBS' How I Met Your Mother, though the door was left open for her return.